Awaiting Baby Borden
by HeartlandLB
Summary: A sequel to Holiday Blessing.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was shining brightly through the loft windows and the weather had turned warmer as spring time arrived at Heartland ranch. Now that she was through her first trimester, Amy was feeling good. She hadn't had any more morning sickness, and her dizziness had subsided. The only problem she had now was all her clothes were getting too tight as her belly had started to fill out. If she kept wearing her jeans much longer she would be squashing the baby. She decided it was time to go shopping for some more comfortable clothes.

As she was standing at the sink planning her day, she felt Ty's arms wrap around her waist. He nuzzled her neck, giving her a soft kiss. She leaned back into his chest and closed her eyes, just enjoying being in his arms.

"Morning. What are you thinking about?"

Amy turned in his arms, kissing his cheek. "How much I love you."

"I love you too, but I'm guessing by the look on your face there's more to it than that," Ty said.

"Okay, you caught me," Amy admitted as she smiled up at him. "Actually I was thinking I need to go shopping for some new clothes since baby Borden is growing and my jeans aren't."

Ty's hand caressed her expanding belly, as he bent down and started talking to the baby.

"Morning, little one. How you doing today?" He planted a kiss on her belly before standing and planting a kiss on Amy's lips. The kiss started out innocently enough but then turned more passionate as Ty drew Amy into him. When they both came up for air, she smiled at him and said, "Dr. Borden, you will be late for work if you keep that up."

Ty gave Amy his sad puppy eyes, and smiled. "Okay, you have a point. I have to be at the clinic by 9, so I can give you a lift into town."

Amy looked at him and said, "Thank you, but I have a client coming over this morning, so I think I'll call Lou and see what her plans are for the day."

Ty was ready to leave for work and followed Amy down to the office. His phone rang so he answered the call in the office. Amy continued into the barn to check on the horses. She heard Georgie yelling out front and headed out to the driveway.

Just as she stepped out of the barn, she was hit by a runaway horse. The force slammed her up against the side of the barn and she fell to the ground in a heap, curling up in pain.

Georgie screamed. "Amy!"

Ty heard the scream and came running out to find Amy curled up on the ground, her arms holding her stomach. He bent down next to her and asked, his voice shaky, "Amy, are you okay?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and whispered, "Ty, the baby." Pain was etched across her face.

Ty slowly picked her up, carrying her up to the loft and laying her on the bed. He reached for his phone and dialed Dr. Virani's number.

Amy could hear Ty telling Dr. Virani what had happened and could see the concern on his face. She was scared but was trying not to let it show. Ty hung up and walked over to the bed, where he reached for her hand and smiled at her. "Amy, Dr. Virani will be her shortly. How are you feeling?"

She couldn't respond as another pain doubled her over. The tears were rolling down her checks as she was trying to breathe. Ty didn't know what to do, but he couldn't let her see the fear in his eyes. Georgie came running up the stairs with Lou right behind her.

"Ty is Amy all right?" Lou asked.

Ty said, "I don't know. Dr. Virani is on her way over. Could you go down and meet her, please?"

Lou shook her head and told Georgie to come with her. She could see her sister was hurting and she didn't want Georgie to see that. When they reached the barn, she wrapped her arms around Georgie and assured her that everything was going to be okay, trying not to let her feelings show just how concerned she was for her sister and the baby.

Jack and Tim were in the field moving the cattle and heard the sound of the siren. Both looked at one another and then headed off to the ranch at a gallop. They arrived just as the ambulance was leaving.

"Lou, what happen? Who's in the ambulance?" Jack asked. Lou explained what had happened and said she wanted to head to the hospital. Tim told her to go; he would stay with the girls. Jack decided to go with Lou as he didn't want her to go alone. When they arrived at the hospital, they found Ty sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands. He didn't hear them walk up and he jumped when Lou touched his arm.

"Oh Ty, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to startle you. Any news on Amy?"

"That's okay, Lou. I'm waiting on the doctor." He explained that Amy had several contractions on the way to the hospital and they had started an IV with a drug that hopefully would stop them. The doctor was in with her now, doing an examination.

A short time later Dr. Virani came out to the waiting room and told everyone, "Amy is resting. The contractions have slowed with the help of the medicine we're giving her. There has been some minor bleeding, but the baby seems to be fine and has a very strong heartbeat. We just have to wait now; the next few hours will be critical."

"Can I go back in and sit with Amy?" Ty asked.

Dr. Virani said, "Yes, I think it might help Amy to relax if she hears a familiar voice."

When Ty walked into her room, the memories of the time Amy had been kicked in the head came flooding back. There was no breathing tube this time, and he could see her resting peacefully. But she was pale and hooked up to the heart monitor, her blood pressure was being monitored, and there was another machine as well. It was monitoring their baby's heartbeat.

He walked over to the bed, taking hold of Amy's hand. "Amy, I'm here, right here!"

Her eyes shot open, full of tears and so much fear. He bent down, wrapping her in his arms. She held him tight, sobbing into his chest. She needed his strength and reassurance that everything was going to be fine and that their baby was going to be fine.

After a while Ty started talking to her about all the plans they had made together for when baby Borden would arrive and change their lives forever. He told her again he didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, just as long as it was healthy and had ten fingers and ten toes. He wanted it to look like her if it was a girl and have her bright blue eyes and infectious smile-which he knew he would never be able to say no to, but he was okay with that. He didn't know it was possible to love two people as much as he did, but he loved his wife and, although he hadn't met it yet, the baby more than life itself.

Amy listened to Ty's voice, his calm tone reassuring her. She could hear his heart beating next to her ear, and she focused on the even rhythm and the warmth of his arms holding her close, not allowing herself to think of anything else. She slowly relaxed against his body.

Ty could feel her body relax as he kept talking and he slowly lowered her to the bed. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was back to normal. He heard Dr. Virani's voice asking him if he needed anything. He shook his head no and sat down in the chair. Taking Amy's hand in his, he closed his eyes, not allowing the tears to fall. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. What if they lost the baby? No, he told himself, he was not going to allow his mind to wander to those places. He needed to stay strong for Amy.

The room was dimly lit when Amy woke up. She was confused, trying to remember why she was in the hospital. She heard voices in the distance but didn't recognize any of them until she heard a very familiar one say, "Hello, beautiful."

Her head turned to the sound of Ty's voice, and she saw his bright green eyes looking down at her with a big smile.

"How are you feeling?"

She responded, "I feel like I have been hit by a horse."

Ty sighed and laughed. "Well, I'm glad you haven't lost your since of humor." He watched her face turn serious and asked, "Amy, what's wrong?"

"Ty, is the baby ok?"

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek, assuring her that the baby was doing fine. He explained that the medicine had helped stop the contractions and the baby's heartbeat was strong.

Amy sighed and closed her eyes. She was tired and hurting but relived that the baby was okay. She squeezed Ty's hand and said, "Please sit with me," and patted the bed.

Ty raised his eyebrow but lay down beside Amy and wrapped his arms around her as she drifted off to sleep. He heard her whisper, "I love you."

Ty lay there listening to the gentle breathing of his wife and thinking some changes would be made when he brought her home. He knew this was not her fault but decided he would have to be the one to keep her out of harm's way from now on. He would enlist the help of the family to ensure his wife and baby stayed safe. He had started to drift off to sleep when he heard the door open and someone enter the room.

A familiar voice said, "Ty". He looked up to see Dr. Virani standing there with a smile on her face. He smiled a sheepish grin and told her Amy had requested him to stay and hold her until she fell asleep.

Dr. Virani smiled. "That's fine as long as she stays quiet." She looked at Ty. "You could probably use a little rest yourself."

Ty couldn't argue that point. He was exhausted, and it felt really good to be lying down.

Dr. Virani said, "You can stay for the night. I'll let the nurses know not to disturb you two unless necessary." Then she left the room.

Ty rolled over on his side and pulled Amy gently into him, keeping her close and warm. His head fell back on the pillow and he was asleep in a second.

However, it was not a restful night for Ty as hospitals are not the quietest place. He made sure he was out of the bed before the doctors made their morning rounds. Amy had slept through the night and was looking more alert and refreshed than he'd seen her in days. She was still experiencing pain from being slammed into the barn, but Dr. Virani stated she could probably go home later as long as she agreed to bed rest for the next few days. The family was relieved and happy to hear she and the baby were doing so well. Jack convinced Ty to go home for a while; he would stay with Amy so Ty could take a shower and eat a good meal. Ty didn't argue with him.

When Ty arrived at Heartland, he noticed Lou standing on the porch waving him over to the house. He pulled up and got out of his truck and said, "Hey, what's up Lou"?

She smiled at the tired young man walking toward her. "I have breakfast waiting for you inside."

Ty said, "Okay, that sounds good," and walked into the house.

They were both sitting at the table when Ty started to tell Lou about his plan to keep Amy safe when he brought her home. Lou agreed and said she would help in any way she could and would let the others know as well. Before he left for the loft, he asked Lou for one more favor. She told him she would take care of it.

Ty arrived at the hospital several hours later looking refreshed and ready to bring his wife and unborn baby home. Lou met him there, handing him a bag, and told him to send Jack down; she would take him home with her. When Ty reached the floor, Jack was in the hall stretching his legs, so Ty thanked him and sent him down to Lou.

He walked into Amy's room to find her sitting on the bed in tears. He rushed to her side and asked, "What's wrong, Amy? Are you okay?"

She looked up at him and said, "The nurse said I could get dressed and I realized I didn't get to go shopping for clothes so I have nothing to wear home."

Ty smiled, bending down to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Not to worry, my beautiful wife, I took care of that little problem for you." He handed her a bag and told her to look inside. There was a pretty pink top and a pair of jeans with the stretchy panel in the front and even a pair of new socks so she could wear her boots home.

Her face lit up, and she hugged Ty tightly. "Thank you. I love you so much."

Ty winked at her. "I love you too. Now hurry and get dressed so we can leave."

When they left the hospital later, Amy was looking every bit the picture of the beautiful young cowgirl who had stolen his heart all those years ago. He had even remembered to bring her a hat.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a month since the runaway horse incident. Everything was back to normal. Baby Borden was growing nicely and very active, especially at night. There were times when Amy felt like the baby was swinging from her rib cage when she was trying to sleep. Ty couldn't believe how much the baby moved and he was always resting his hand on her belly waiting to feel it. Her next doctor's appointment was coming up in 2 days, and she was scheduled for an ultrasound so Ty was planning to be there with her.

After Amy was well enough to work again, Ty had sat her down and told her he knew the accident was not her fault but he had concerns about her working around the horses.

"Ty, you can't bubble wrap me. I'm going to work with horses; that's who I am," she told him.

"I know, Amy. That's why I love you. But I need you to abide by some rules before I agree to let you continue working with the horses. It's for your safety as well as our baby's." Ty suggested she limit the number of client horses she takes in, and Amy agreed. He also ask her to be more selective about the type of horse she works with. No mean or aggressive ones, like Alcatraz was when he first came to Heartland. His most important rule was she would not work alone anymore.

Amy was going to protest but understood his concern for both her and the baby. Dr. Virani had also spoken to her about being cautious and not taking risks when working around the horses. She really had no choice but to follow the rules as everyone on the ranch would make sure she did.

They had settled into a nice routine and were happily preparing for the arrival of baby Borden. They had purchased a bassinet for the baby to sleep in, set up a changing table in the corner of the living room, and managed to clear out a drawer in the big dresser for some baby clothes.

Lou and Lisa have been busy planning a baby shower for Amy, who was not real thrilled with the idea but had agreed as long as they didn't invite the whole town of Hudson.

The night before her appointment was a restless one. Amy didn't get much sleep and was feeling out of sorts and really fat. She couldn't decide what to wear and everything she put on just made her feel fatter. Ty was running late for work but could sense that something was up with his wife so he was trying to be patience and understanding. He assured her she looked fine in a couple of the outfits she tried on but unfortunately it was not working and she was getting more frustrated by the minute. Finally she told him to just leave and go to work; she would be fine. When she heard the truck door slam she sat down on the couch and the tears started rolling down her cheeks.

A few minutes passed before she heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see her husband walking toward her with a bunch of wild flowers and a box of Kleenex. He sat down beside her and said, "I love you, Amy. What can I do to help?"

She threw her arms around his neck and let the tears come. Ty put down the flowers and the Kleenex box and wrapped his arms around her. He sat there holding his sobbing wife and just let her cry. After a while her crying stopped and he could feel her relaxing. Then he heard her say in a very soft voice, "Thank you for being here for me, Ty. I love you too."

He placed his finger under her chin and brought her eyes up to meet his. "I will always be here for you, Amy. I love you."

The crying started all over again and she buried her head in Ty's chest. He could feel his shirt getting soaked and was wondering what he had said wrong to bring on the crying again. He was about to ask when Amy said, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm so emotional today."

Ty smiled and reached out to pat her expanding belly. "I think I might know the reason."

Amy smiled at Ty's remark and sat up. She noticed the flowers and asked, "Are these for me?"

Ty was afraid to answer; he didn't want the flood gates to open again. So he smiled and nodded his head. Amy thanked him for the flowers and took them over to the sink. He watched as she went about putting the flowers in the vase and adding water and was amazed at how quickly her emotions had changed and his wife was back to normal. He wasn't sure what to do or say so he just sat there waiting to see what Amy did next.

She placed the vase in the middle of the table and looked up at him. "Aren't you going to be late for work?"

He shook his head and said that Scott had called and asked him to stop at a farm a few miles down the road from Heartland before coming into the clinic.

She smiled and said, "Well, I guess you better get going then" and came over to give him a kiss and a hug.

Ty got up to leave. As he turned around to tell Amy he would see her later at the clinic, he stopped and watch in awe as the same women he had been holding in his arms sobbing uncontrollably 10 minutes ago was smiling and absolutely glowing.

Ty stopped at the farm and took a look at the sick cow before heading to the clinic. When he walked in, Scott was standing in the exam room. Scott asked how things went at the farm. Ty said he gave the cow a shot of antibiotics and told the famer to keep her separated from the herd for the next few days and to call if there were any problems. Then Scott asked how Amy was feeling and Ty just looked at him and shrugged. He wasn't really sure how to answer. Scott looked at his partner and asked what happened. Ty gave him the short version of "pregnancy hormones," and Scott started laughing. Even though he had never gone through the experience of having a pregnant wife himself, he had heard stories from his friends about how moody an emotional pregnant woman can get.

Ty gave him a look and said, "Hey, man, it was not funny."

They both got to work, and nothing more was mentioned about Amy's meltdown. The morning flew by and before Ty realized, it was lunch time and Amy would be there shortly. They had decided to have lunch at Maggie's and then go over to the clinic for Amy's appointment. Ty was not sure what to expect when Amy arrived, but as she walked through the door, she was smiling and said, "Hi, Dr. Borden. Are you ready for lunch with your wife?" She kissed his cheek.

As he returned the kiss, Ty responded, "Absolutely, let's go. I'm starving."

So they walked out the door arm and arm headed to Maggie's. As they rounded the corner of the block that Maggie's was on, Ty realized he had left his cell phone lying on the desk back at the clinic. He told Amy to go on ahead and get them a table and he would be there shortly. He ran back to the clinic, grabbed his phone, and headed back to Maggie's.

As he approached the diner, he could see Amy standing at the entrance to Maggie's looking very uneasy, and a man holding the door open for her. When he got close enough to see who was holding the door, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He walked up to Amy, wrapping his arms around her waist, and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. "Hello, my beautiful wife."

Amy picked up on her husband's mood immediately and said, "Jesse, you remember Ty, my husband?"

The smile faded from Jesse Stanton's face and both men nodded at one another but didn't extend a hand. Ty left his arms around Amy and started moving them into Maggie's. Amy said goodbye and let Ty lead her into the diner.

When they found a table, Ty pulled out the chair for Amy and helped her sit down. Then he walked around and took his seat on the other side. Amy had a smile on her face and said, "Nice one, Dr. Borden. Care to explain what that was all about?"

Ty said, "What?" with a look that said he had no intention of explaining anything.

Amy decided to leave it along for now and focus on what she was going to eat for lunch. But she knew her husband well and could tell something was bothering him.

They ate lunch pretty much in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Amy was thinking about the ultrasound and seeing their baby. Ty was thinking about the encounter with Jesse earlier. They both noticed the time and Ty said, "Well, we better get going or we'll be late."

Ty walked up to the counter and paid the bill, and they headed out the door for the clinic. As they were walking down the street, Amy noticed how quiet Ty was, placing her arm in his, she asked him if everything was all right. He nodded and smiled at her. She didn't want to press the issue but she knew the encounter with Jesse had caused her husband's somber mood. She stopped, brought her hand up to his face and slowly turned his head to look at her. She stared into those green eyes and said, "Ty I love you." She kissed him so tenderly it took his breath away.

Ty looked into Amy's eyes, seeing what he knew in his heart was true. She loved him unconditionally, and it made him realize just how lucky he was to have this woman in his life and a baby they would soon welcome into their world. He was caught up in the moment and he leaned down and kissed Amy passionately, completely forgetting they were standing on the sidewalk in the middle of Hudson with people walking by.

"Hey, man, isn't that what got you two in your current condition in the first place?" a familiar voice said.

They both looked up to see Caleb standing there with a big grin on his face, and the reality of where they were came back.

"Caleb! Hey, man, how are you?" Ty said, reaching out to shake his friend's hand.

"I am doing well," Caleb answered. He smiled at Amy. "Amy, you look positively glowing. Where are you two headed?"

They both got this look on their face and Ty said, "Oh sh— we are late. Got to go; call you later." They headed off down the street.

They arrived at the clinic 5 minutes late for their appointment and walked up to the counter to check in with the receptionist. She told them it would be a while as the doctor had had to leave for an emergency but should be back shortly. They took a seat by the windows and were relieved that their tardiness hadn't been an issue. Amy was tired from the lack of sleep last night and rested her head on Ty's shoulder, closing her eyes.

She must have drifted off to sleep immediately because the next thing she knew Ty was gently shaking her shoulders saying, "Amy, wake up."

She sat up looking around trying to remember where she was. The nurse smiled at her and said to follow her. They walked into the exam room, and the nurse took her vitals and weight and told her she could remain dressed for the ultrasound. Dr. Virani walked in a few minutes later and asked Amy how she was doing.

"Fine, but tired," she responded.

Dr. Virani smiled and said, "That's a common occurrence with pregnancy. Are you remembering to take your vitamins?" Amy nodded. Dr. Virani took some measurements of her belly and checked her heartbeat and then asked, "So, are you two ready to see your baby?"

Both smiled and nodded. Amy was instructed to lie back on the table and lift her shirt so the nurse could prepare her belly for the ultrasound. The lubricant was cold on Amy's belly, but she didn't care; she was so anxious to see the baby. It took a few moments for the nurse to find the baby, but when she did, she positioned the monitor so Ty and Amy could see. Ty was holding Amy's hand, and he squeezed it as they both saw the baby's head and arms and little hands and feet. It was truly amazing to be able to see the baby inside of Amy. The nurse snapped a few shots of the baby and then asked if they wanted to know the sex. They hadn't talk about that but they both said at the same time, "No, we want to be surprised."

The nurse said, "All right," and shut off the monitor. She brought out a small box, placing it on Amy's belly until they all heard a whooshing sound fill the room. "That's the baby's heartbeat," the nurse explained.

Amy's face lit up and Ty smiled and said, "Yeah, I remember that sound from when Amy was in the hospital and they were monitoring the baby."

The nurse handed Amy a cloth to wipe her belly off and said Dr. Virani would return shortly and left the room. A few minutes later Dr. Virani returned, holding the ultrasound pictures of their baby. She handed them to Ty and said, "The baby is doing fine and developing right on schedule. Do you have any questions for me?"

Amy asked when her due date would be, and Dr. Virani said right around September 8th give or take a few days. Then Dr. Virani had a question of her own. "So, Amy, how much longer are you planning to work with the horses?"

Amy looked at Ty and they both had the same thought. "When do you feel it would be best for Amy to stop?" Ty asked.

"I would say maybe one more month, two at the most. As you know, Amy's belly will be getting larger as the pregnancy progresses and could affect her balance and might become an issue or get in the way if she works any longer than that," she said.

They both nodded and thanked Dr. Virani as she left the room. Amy made her next month's appointment before they left the clinic and headed back down the street to Maggie's to show Lou the pictures of baby Borden. Lou was ecstatic, and they decided to all celebrate with a chocolate milkshake. After they were done, Ty said he had to get back to the vet clinic, so he gave Amy a kiss and headed off to work for a few more hours.

Lou was getting ready to head to the ranch as the girls would be arriving home from school soon, so Amy was going to catch a ride with her. The two sisters talked excitedly about baby Borden all the way back to the ranch. They were in the kitchen having a cup of tea when the girls walked in. The pictures of the baby were lying on the table when Georgie walked up and saw them.

Her face lit up with a huge smile. "That's my cousin, isn't it?"

Amy smiled back. "Yes, it is."

"No way!" Georgie said. She held up one of the ultrasound pictures and stared at it. "That's so cool!"

"Yes way," Lou said. "How about you get started on your homework so you can help Amy with the chores later."

"Okay," Georgie answered and headed up the stairs to her room.

Ty and Amy had dinner with the family that night and shared the pictures of baby Borden. Everyone was so happy for them and even Tim was in a good mood. They were cleaning up the dishes after dinner and were getting ready to serve dessert when Amy excused herself and went to the bathroom. She came out a few minutes later and Ty glanced up and noticed Amy's face. He walked over to her so as not to draw everyone's attention and whispered in her ear, "Amy, is everything all right?"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm just tired." Ty ask if she wanted to leave and she nodded.

Ty told everyone he was taking Amy back to the loft as she was tired and needed her rest. They all said their goodbyes and Amy and Ty left.

On the walk over she was thinking about the events of the day and how much she wanted to spend some alone time with her husband. She was so excited about the baby and the ultrasound just made everything so real now. She could hardly wait for the next few months to pass and their baby to arrive. When they reached the loft, Amy sat down on the couch pulling Ty down beside her.

"I thought you were tired?" Ty said.

"I'm not tired of being with you," she said. "Have I told you how much I love you, Dr. Borden?" she asked as she pulled him close, giving him a kiss that ignited the spark between them.


	3. Chapter 3

It was finally the day of the baby shower, and Amy was not thrilled. It seemed like these last months had gone by in slow motion. Maybe it was because she couldn't work with the horses and she felt like a beached whale. Her stomach was so big she couldn't see her feet, let alone tie her own shoes. Her back ached all the time, and she couldn't get comfortable no matter what she tried. She was ready for this baby to make an appearance sooner rather than later.

Amy was beautiful in Ty's eyes, even though she didn't think so. She had that glow that pregnant women get, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Yes, being petite the baby had taken over her body, but she was soon to be the mother of his child, which made her even more beautiful to him. He didn't mind waiting on her and even tying her shoes when she needed help. He would help her in and out of the truck when they went for her appointments as she really couldn't drive anymore; her stomach was so big, she couldn't fit behind the steering wheel or reach the pedals. Ty was okay with that, though, because he didn't want her driving and taking the chance that the baby would be hurt by the steering wheel if she were to get in an accident. He worried about things like that.

Amy was trying to figure out what to wear to the shower. It was the last day of August and still warm out, so she wanted something cool and comfortable since she was not feeling pretty at all these days. She was going through her closet when Ty walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Wow, they still fit," she said sarcastically.

Ty laughed and reassured her by placing a kiss on her cheek. "Of course they do. My arms will always fit around my beautiful wife."

"Right." She rolled her eyes. "It's getting a little deep in here, Dr. Borden."

Ty turned her around and looked into those blue eyes and spoke straight from his heart. "I love you, Amy, and our child you are carrying. You are beautiful, pregnant or not. So what are you doing?"

"Looking for something to wear to this baby shower I don't want to go to."

Ty smiled. "Well, I think it would be bad if you didn't go since you're the one Lou is throwing the shower for. Besides, it'll be fun; just think of all the gifts you get to open for the baby."

"How do you know it'll be fun? Have you been to a baby shower before?" she asked, scowling at a shirt.

"Well, no," Ty admitted.

"Then you can't tell me that for sure," she retorted.

Ty figured he better leave that statement alone and started looking at the clothes hanging in the closet. His eyes fell on a blue-checked sundress he hadn't seen Amy wear before. He reached for it and said, "How about this one?"

Amy took it from him and looked at it, thinking he might be on to something. She'd forgotten about the dress, as it had been pushed to the back of the closet because she didn't wear dresses much. It was a free-flowing dress, no waist or binding sleeves to make her uncomfortable. She had a white shrug she could wear if she got cold, and her white flip flops with the daisies on them would look great with it.

"Dr. Borden, you are a genius. Let's just hope it fits," she said.

Ty smiled and said, "Of course it will fit. It's basically a big sack, so it should be no problem, right?" Then he realized what he said and looked at Amy with a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry, you know I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Do you need my help?" He gave her his best smile.

Amy just shook her head and walked into the bathroom to get ready. She came out thirty minutes later looking so cute that Ty was staring at her.

"What's wrong? Do I look okay?" she asked with a worried look.

"You look beautiful, Amy." He walked over to give her a kiss.

"Thank you. It is kind of cute, isn't it?"

Ty smiled and asked her if she was ready to walk over to the house. She nodded and they headed for the stairs. When they reached the barn, Amy turned when she heard Spartan nicker at her. She went over to him and petted him and gave him a treat. She stroked his neck and told him how much she missed being able to ride right now.

Ty came over and said, "I know it's been tough not being able to ride and work with the horses, but it won't be too much longer and then you can start riding again." Amy sighed and shook her head. It seemed like ages ago since she had ridden, and she missed that feeling of being one with the animal and having the wind in her face riding through the fields. Hopefully the doctor would let her ride again shortly after the baby was born.

She and Ty walked out of the barn hand and hand headed toward the house and all the guests arriving for the shower. Amy was dreading the next few hours, having to make small talk with everyone and being the center of attention. She would rather be with Ty, spending time together just the two of them talking about how their life was going to change after baby Borden arrived. But she had to attend the event since she was the guest of honor.

When they walked onto the porch, her dad was there. Tim walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Wow! Amy, honey, you look…." And he stopped.

Amy just smiled and said, "Big! Thanks, Dad."

Ty gave him a look that could kill. Tim shrugged his shoulders and said, "What? What did I say?" Ty just shook his head.

Ty and Amy continued into the house and he made sure his wife was safely in the hands of Lou before kissing her gently on the cheek and telling her he would be back to rescue her in a few hours. She gave him a weak smile and said, "You'd better be."

As Ty walked out the door, Tim and Jack were headed off down the driveway to go somewhere. Ty had places to go too, so he jumped in the truck and headed to Hudson. He stopped at the vet clinic to pick up some supplies and a lab report he was waiting on.

Then he drove out to the big truck dealer at the edge of town to talk to one of the salesmen he'd spoken to early in the week. He walked into the building and asked for Dave. A few minutes later Dave walked up to Ty and introduced himself and shook his hand. "Glad you could make it out today, Ty. I think you're going to like what I have to show you."

Ty said "Okay, let's take a look." They walked out the back door and there sat a nice shiny black truck. It was used but only two years old with a club cab and loaded with all the toys. Ty smiled as he walked over and opened the door. He'd contacted Dave a few weeks ago and told him what he was looking for since he knew the old GMC was not going to be big enough for his soon-to-be expanding family. Ty sat behind the wheel and started checking out all the features and talking to Dave. He got so preoccupied that he forgot the time. Next thing he knew, it was time for the shower to be over and to pick up Amy.

Dave handed him the keys and told him to go pick up his wife and take her for a ride; he would see him back in a few hours.

Ty started it up and headed back to Heartland. It rode so smoothly compared to the old GMC and was much quieter. It was a nice truck and would really work well for the family and his vet calls. He was excited to show Amy and see what she thought.

Back at the ranch, Amy was growing anxious for Ty to come rescue her. The shower had been okay, and they had received many nice presents for the baby. All the clothes were in generic colors because they had chosen not to know if it would be a boy or a girl. The stroller that Lou, Lisa and the girls had given her was beautiful and had all kinds of features. It was like having to learn how to drive a car again.

But she was tired and her back was aching from sitting in one position for too long. She wanted to go home, get out of the dress, and put her feet up and enjoy some quiet time with Ty. Only a couple more weeks and life would change forever for her and Ty.

Her thoughts wandered to how much her mom would have enjoyed the shower and the arrival of their baby. She was missing her mom a lot these days. It made her sad to think her baby would not know its grandmother.

She was brought back to reality when she felt a pain in her abdomen. Must be from sitting so long, she thought and got up to move. As soon as she got up, she had to pee so she headed to the bathroom. The pain was gone after walking so she didn't think any more about it.

A while later she was standing in the kitchen saying goodbye to some of the guests when she felt it again. She didn't say anything but took note of what time it was on the clock. Just as the last of the guests were leaving, she noticed Ty pull up in front of the house. She walked out on to the porch and was happy to see her husband but was surprised by the truck he was driving.

He had a big smile on his face as he walked up on the porch. He came over to Amy, leaning in to kiss her when she sucked in a deep breath and placed her hand on her stomach. Then she quickly smiled up at him. "Hey, what's up? I've been waiting for you."

Ty had noticed the look on Amy's face and the placement of her hand, but he didn't say anything to her. He wrapped his arms around her and said, "I have a little surprise for you." He bent down to whisper in her ear. "You okay?"

She looked at him as much to say "What?" but shook her head and asked, "So what's the surprise?"

Ty took her hand and helped her down the steps. They walked over to the truck. "So, Amy, what do you think? I was thinking we're going to need a little more room for our new addition."

Amy froze and stared at the truck. "You're kidding, right?" Then her face twisted in pain.

Ty very clearly saw his wife's reaction. He knew something was definitely up, so he reached up and opened the door and said, "How about we take this truck out for a ride, okay?"

Amy nodded, and he helped her into the truck. Both Georgie and Katie were asking if they could go to. Ty smiled and said, "Not this time. I think Aunt Amy and I need some time to test the new truck out first."

Amy sat quietly on her side of the truck, looking out at the passing landscape. Ty was watching her out of the corner of his eye and noticed a tear roll down her cheek. He reached for her hand and asked, "Amy what's wrong?"

She turned to look at him and said, "I'm missing my mom, Ty. She would be so happy for us."

Ty squeezed his wife's hand and turned the truck onto the road that led up to the ridge and the cemetery where Marion was buried. He parked the truck and went around to help Amy out. They walked over to the grave and stood there for a while, both quiet. Ty was observant of his wife's behavior and could see she was struggling to keep her composure. He took her in his arms and said, "it's okay, Amy; just let it go."

He knew even though it had been years since Marion's death, it was times like this that were the hardest on Amy. It reminded her that her mom wasn't there to share these special moments.

She smiled up at him with tears threating to fall and was about to say something when he heard her gasp for air, her hand going to her stomach. She quickly dropped her head so he couldn't see her face. Ty reached down and brought her eyes back up to his and asked,

"Amy, are you all right? What's going on?"


	4. Chapter 4

Amy knew she couldn't lie to Ty, so she just smiled and said, "Well, I think you have perfect timing, as baby Borden has decided it's time to make an appearance."

Ty looked at his wife and then it registered what she had just said. "Right now?" he asked in a panic.

"No," Amy assured him. "The contractions started earlier at the shower, and I'm pretty sure we have a while before you need to be concerned."

Ty let out a big sigh. "Do you want to head back to the loft?"

Amy smiled and leaned over giving her husband a kiss. "Yes, please, and thank you for being here for me. You always understand and I love you for that. I would really like to keep this quiet for a while, though, until we're sure it's the real deal. You know how Lou can get. Okay?"

Ty nodded. "That's fine with me. What do you think of the new truck?"

"It's really nice," Amy said. "I'll miss your old GMC, but I know we need more room."

"I understand completely," Ty said as they headed back to the ranch. When they arrived, no one was out in the yard, so Ty parked over by the barn and came around to help Amy out. They walked up the stairs to the loft and Amy went to change into something more comfortable.

When she walked back to the living room, Ty was hanging up from talking to Lou, letting her know they would not be over for dinner as Amy was tired. He had made tea so they sat on the couch enjoying the quiet time together. Amy put her mug down on the table and leaned back into Ty's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and could feel her relax.

She was enjoying being in Ty's arms and had just closed her eyes when another contraction hit her, this one much stronger than the others. Ty felt her tense up and he leaned over so he could see her face. Her eyes were shut and he could tell she was holding her breath. "Amy, you need to breathe." When it subsided, he said, "I think we should call Dr. Virani and let her know that things have started happening."

She sat there thinking it was too soon but then figured it wouldn't hurt to let Dr. Virani know. "Okay."

When Ty called Dr. Virani, she instructed, "Keep Amy comfortable and focused when she has a contraction. Don't let her eat much solid food. You should start timing the contractions so we'll have a better idea as to how things are progressing. And help her remember to breathe."

"Thank you," Ty said. "You'll be the first to know when things progress."

Ty was rubbing Amy's back and talking softly to keep her focused on breathing through the contractions. He was holding her and could feel her body slowly relax after each one, her breathing returning to an even pace. He knew it was going to be a long night, with not much sleep for either of them, and Amy would need him to be there for her.

They were both resting when Amy had to get up to pee. She didn't want to wake Ty so she was trying to get up without his help. As she moved to stand, she felt a warm gush of fluid and thought, Great, I just wet my pants. She moved as quickly as she could so as not to get the new couch wet and was standing there looking down at the floor when Ty heard his name.

"What's wrong? he asked as he sat up.

"I think my water just broke."

Ty sprang into action. He went to the bath room and grabbed some towels to mop up the floor and another one for Amy to sit on. He then went into the bedroom closet to retrieve her packed bag and grabbed a dry pair of sweats for her. As he was walking back over to her, he was dialing Dr. Virani's number. He let her know what had happen and Amy heard him say they would be there in about twenty-five minutes. He helped her change her sweats and smiled at his wife as he helped her stand.

"Ready to go? I think it's time to meet baby Borden."

Amy nodded and replied, "Ready as I'll ever be."

They moved slowly down the stairs and out to the new truck. Ty was so thankful when he turned the key and the truck started right up. It was the middle of the night and everyone was asleep and with the new truck being so quiet, even Jack didn't hear them leave for the hospital.

They arrived about twenty-five minutes later and the hospital staff was ready and waiting for them thanks to Dr. Virani calling ahead. Amy was wheeled into the room while Ty filled out some last-minute paperwork. The next time he saw Amy she was in a hospital gown hooked up to the heart monitor with a belt strapped to her belly monitoring the baby's heart rate.

Dr. Virani showed up fifteen minutes later to check Amy's progression and told them it would be a while as she was only dilated to 3. She instructed Amy to stay relaxed and to remember what she'd learned in pre-natal classes about her breathing.

Amy smiled and said, "Right. Easier said than done."

Dr. Virani smiled. "Don't worry. Things are progressing nicely and if they keep progressing, you'll see your new baby probably by morning."

Ty reached for Amy's hand and gave it a squeeze. He tried not to show his concern, but he didn't like seeing her in pain. He was worried for his wife; giving birth was going to be hard on her. Dr. Virani had even discussed the possibility of a C-section with them because of the baby's size. But she'd told them they would let the labor progress unless a problem developed that would put her or the baby in danger.

Several hours passed and the labor was not progressing as the doctor had hoped. Amy was only dilated to 4 and she was having severe back pain. Ty's hand was numb from Amy's grip with each contraction. Dr. Virani suspected the baby was face up rather than face down and the contractions were doing no good to move the baby into the birth canal. She reassured them, "The baby isn't showing any distress at this point, but if nothing happens in the next hour to move things along, it'll be time to make a decision."

Amy's back hurt so bad she could hardly stand it, and she lay there trying to breathe through the pain and control her emotions when Ty noticed a tear roll down her cheek. He reached up and wiped the tear away and asked her, "Amy, are you all right? I think it's time to talk to the doctor. Okay?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. She wanted so much to have this baby the natural way, but it didn't appear that was going to happen. As Ty left the room to get the nurse, the baby monitor started alarming and she panicked. Ty and the nurse came running into the room. The nurse told Amy they would be prepping her for surgery. Amy looked so frightened, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Ty held her hand and bent down to her. "Amy, I'm right here. It's going to be fine. The baby is going to be fine."

She looked up at Ty, into those bright green eyes of his and she could see the worry in them. She knew he was as scared as she was, but they would face this together. So she gave him her best smile and nodded.

From then on the room was a fury of activity, and Ty was told he had to leave so they could finish prepping Amy for surgery. He didn't want to leave Amy; she was scared and needed him to be there for her. He wasn't really sure why they ask him to leave, as this was his wife and he had seen all of Amy many times. Didn't they realize he was the one who had gotten her pregnant in the first place? So what was the big deal? But he reluctantly left the room and was shown to another room and instructed to put on a gown and cover his face with a mask so he could join Amy in the operating room momentarily.

While he was out of earshot of Amy, he placed a call to Lou. He let her know where they were and what was happening and told her he would call again as soon as he knew anything.

Amy was on the operating table when Ty saw her again. She seemed to be much calmer, even asleep, and he wondered what had happened to make her relax so much. The nurse explained that they had given Amy just enough anesthesia to relax her and then they had administered the spinal block so they could perform the surgery. This would allow them to get the baby out faster, as it was under duress and they needed to see what was going on. He was relieved that she was no longer in any pain but sad that she would miss the birth of their child.

He was holding her hand and tried to relax as Dr. Virani started the procedure and told Ty he could watch on the mirror above if he wanted to. He said, "Okay," but didn't watch her make the incision. When she was ready to bring the baby out, he watched in amazement as the baby was lifted out of Amy's womb. It was all fuzzy and funny looking from the fluid that had surrounded it for 9 months.

Dr. Virani asked Ty if he wanted to cut the cord and handed him the clamp. Ty was beaming as he stood up and could see his son for the first time. He was a little blue from the cord being wrapped around his neck. Ty cut the cord, and the nurse quickly wrapped the baby in a cloth and took him over to the bassinette. They suctioned out his month, and then Ty heard the sound every new parent waits for. The baby started crying, and it was the best sound he ever heard.

Amy opened her eyes when she heard him cry. She groggily asked Ty, "Is that our baby?"

He smiled and said, "Yes, Amy, it's a boy. We have a son."

She smiled up at him with tears in her eyes, and he bent down to place a kiss on her lips. "I love you," he said.

A machine started beeping loudly, and Ty watched as Amy's eye fluttered shut. Dr. Virani started shouting orders and Ty was ushered out of the room. He stood in the hall, remembering the last words he heard: "She's bleeding out."

It seemed like hours that he'd been sitting on the floor outside the operating room, not knowing what was happening to Amy. He didn't know what to do or where to go so he just sat there, staring into space until he heard his name. He looked up to see Dr. Virani standing there. She could tell Ty was in shock, so she sat down next to him and took a deep breath.

"Ty, look at me. Can you hear me?" He turned his head and nodded. "Amy is okay. She lost a lot of blood, but she is okay, understand?"

He heard what she'd said, but it took him a minute to process the information. "Amy is okay, right?" he asked.

"Yes, Ty, she is okay. I can take you to her if you want to go?"

Ty sat there for a minute longer, and then everything clicked into place. Amy's okay. Yes, he wanted to see her as he jumped to his feet. "Let's go," he told Dr. Virani as he helped her up.

The nurse was checking Amy's vitals when they found her in recovery. She was very pale, and her face was so calm it scared Ty. He had to touch her to make sure she was still alive. He needed to feel the warmth of her body and see her bright blue eyes. Dr. Virani explained, it'll take her a while to wake up; we had to put her under to control the bleeding, and the fact that she had lost so much blood made her body tired. But," she assured him, "she's okay, and she will wake up; you just need to be patient."

Ty was sitting by Amy's bedside holding her hand when his thoughts went to the baby. He jumped up and went running to the nurses' station. "The baby—how is the baby? Where is the baby?" he asked in a panic.

The nurse smiled and said, "It's okay, Mr. Borden. Your baby is in the nursery. He's fine, just fine."

Ty let out a sigh. "You're sure he's okay?" he asked. The nurse reassured him again and said she would take him to the nursery whenever he was ready to go. Ty nodded and thanked her. But he didn't want to leave Amy just yet. He needed to see her awake before he could relax enough to go see their baby.

Several hours later, as Amy was resting comfortably in her room, Ty sat holding his son, and marveling at how small he was but perfect in every way. He had two eyes, a nose and the cutest mouth, ten little fingers and ten little toes and a fuzzy head, because he didn't have much of any hair. He didn't know what color his eyes were because they hadn't been open long enough to find out. He was sitting in the chair with the biggest grin on his face when he heard Amy say, "Ty? Ty, where is the baby?"

He got up from the chair and walked to her bedside, carefully placing their son on her chest. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek and said, "He's right here, Amy, and he's fine. How are you feeling?"

Amy responded, "I'm tired, but I'm not hurting." She looked down at the baby sleeping on her chest and smiled. "He's beautiful, isn't he, Ty?"

Ty nodded and said, "Yup, just like his mom."

She got a strange look on her face and said, "Ty, did you call the ranch and let anyone know that I went into labor?"

"Yes. In fact, I called them when they made me leave the room, before you went into surgery."

She relaxed a little and then asked, "Ty, have you called them now to tell them that baby Borden has arrived and what he is?"

Ty nodded. "Yes, everyone at Heartland knows that you're fine and that this little guy is fine." He raised his eyebrows. "I would guess that probably most of the population of Hudson knows by now."

"That's good," she said.

The baby started fussing and Ty picked him up again. "I think he might be hungry, and you're the only one that can take care of that, Mommy." As he leaned in to kiss his wife and son, he asked if she was up to it. She nodded and asked him to press the call button for the nurse.

Just as the nurse arrived to help the new mom, the troops showed up. So Ty ushered them out of the room and closed the door and said, "Amy needs a little privacy right now, so let's all head down to the cafeteria for some ice cream. My treat."

Katie reached for Ty's hand and said, "Let's go, Uncle Ty." Everyone laughed and headed down the hall.

They had been gone about forty minutes and headed back up to the room. As they approached Amy's room, the nurse stopped Ty in the hall and said it was fine the family was there, but Amy was resting and the baby was in the nursery. He nodded, thanked her, and walked over to tell everyone that they would have to be content with seeing the baby through the glass right now. The adults understood, but Georgie and Katie not so much. They stood peering through the glass and commenting on how tiny and cute he was.

"What color are his eyes?" Lou asked.

Ty responded, "We don't know yet. He hasn't had his eyes open much. Seems he's a bit worn out like his mom. Hopefully they will both be rested up by tomorrow and we'll get to see his eyes open."

Everyone laughed and walked back to the room. Ty went in first to see if Amy was up for the visit. She was tired but said she would love to see them all for a few minutes. So everyone came in to say hi and tell her how cute baby Borden was. Georgie asked what his name was, and both Amy and Ty smiled. Amy said, "You'll have to wait till the naming ceremony to find out."

Lou asked how she was feeling and Amy smiled and said, "Like I just had major surgery."

Lou smiled, but took the hint and said, "Hey, guys, I think it's time we let Amy and Ty get some well-deserved rest. We can come back tomorrow to see them again." The kids moaned but said their goodbyes and thanked Ty for the ice cream. Jack and Lisa stayed a few more minutes to make sure that Ty and Amy had everything they needed, and then they left too.

It was finally quiet in the room and Amy was slowly falling back to sleep. She reached for Ty's hand and motioned for him to crawl in bed next to her. He smiled but didn't hesitate to lie down beside her and wrap his arms around her. She snuggled into his chest and was asleep in a heartbeat.

Ty laid there listening to the even breathing of his wife and reliving the events of the past twenty-four hours.

He had a family: a wife he adored and a new baby boy. Life didn't get much better. He kissed Amy's forehead and smiled. He was truly looking forward to the next chapter in their lives.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning Amy was feeling better, not great but better. She was hungry, which the nurse told her was a good sign. The color was starting to return to her face, and even though she still tired easily, she was excited to see her baby again and hold him. She fed him and was cooing softly to him, with her face close to his. His eyes were open and looking up at her as if to say, "Hi, Mom." He had Ty's eyes, bright green and so full of personality, if that was possible for a newborn baby. Amy could hardly wait for Ty to see his son's eyes. He was going to be a great father.

Ty woke up to the sun shining through the loft windows. It was a beautiful fall day, and with any luck Amy and the baby were coming home today. He was so excited at the thought of bringing his new family home. He was standing at the counter wondering what to eat for breakfast when the sound of Lou's voice brought him back to reality.

"Hey, Lou. What's up?" he asked, turning to see her enter the loft.

"I hope I didn't wake you, Ty, but I brought over some breakfast for you," she said.

Ty looked at her and said, "Are you kidding? Thank you; it smells great. I wasn't sure what I was going to eat this morning since we haven't been to the store since the baby was born."

Lou placed the tray on the table and sat down. She motioned to Ty to eat and asked, "How are Amy and the baby doing?"

Ty gave her the good news. "I hope to bring them home today if Amy's feeling good."

Lou was ecstatic. "Don't worry about shopping. Katie and I will go do the shopping for you, and we'll have the kitchen stocked by the time you guys come home from the hospital."

"Are you sure?" Ty asked.

"Absolutely," Lou said. "It's the least I can do for you."

When Ty reached Amy's room, he opened the door slowly, stopping to watch his wife holding their son and cooing softly to him, her infectious smile lighting up her face. He stood in awe, smiling at his new family. Amy was going to be a great mom; she had so much love and patience.

Amy looked up to see Ty smiling at her, and she blushed. "How long have you been standing there watching us?" she asked.

"Not long, how you feeling this morning?"

"Better."

Ty came into the room and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek and kiss the baby as well. The baby turned his head towards Ty's voice, and Ty gasped, "He has green eyes!"

"Yes, he does, just like yours, Dad," Amy said, kissing Ty softly.

Ty asked if Dr. Virani had been in yet, and she shook her head no. The baby started fussing so she handed him to Ty so he could walk with him while she finished eating her breakfast. Ty had him asleep in no time and had just laid him in the bassinette when Dr. Virani walked in.

"Morning, Ty and Amy. How are we feeling this morning?"

"Good. Can we go home today?" Amy asked.

Dr. Virani smiled. "Yes, you're cleared to be discharged. However, you're restricted to the loft and lots of bed rest for a week." Ty and Amy were okay with that restriction; they just wanted to go home and settle into their new family life.

The next week went by uneventfully as the Fleming-Borden family adjusted to the newest member of their family. He was a good baby and easy to care for. Amy was doing well; she took care of the baby during the day, and then Ty took over when he arrived home from work each night, allowing Amy to have some time to pamper herself. Amy was nursing, but they had gotten a pump so she could store a supply of her milk in the fridge, allowing Ty to join in on the feeding routine as well.

Ty was feeding the baby one night when Amy came out of the bathroom from a nice soak in the tub. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to Ty and said, "You know, we need to start thinking about the naming ceremony. We can't keep calling him baby Borden forever."

Ty nodded. "Yeah, I've been thinking about the same thing. The only issue is, I haven't talked with my mom in a while and I'm not sure if she'll be up to coming or not."

"Well, how about you call her tomorrow and see how she's doing and if she feels up to coming for a visit. We could plan the ceremony around her visit if she can come in the next couple of weeks."

"Yeah, I'll call her in the morning." Amy watched as Ty cuddled with the baby, he was so gentle with him. She leaned into him and smiled up at her husband, touching his cheek softly with her hand.

"Perfect. I'll talk to Lou about having Lily and Wade stay at the dude ranch."

Ty called Wade the next day to see how things were going with Lily's rehab. Wade told Ty he wasn't so sure Lily was ready to travel yet and maybe they should just go ahead and plan the naming ceremony anyway. Ty was a little disappointed but understood that it takes time to get over an addiction like his mom had. She had battled this most of her life, so he knew it wasn't something she would overcome in short order.

Amy and Ty talked about it again that night and decided they would plan the ceremony for the following Saturday. The baby would be a month old, and it was time for everyone to know his name.

"So who should we ask to be the godmother and godfather?" Amy asked.

"Well, I wanted to ask Caleb to be the godfather, if that's okay with you," Ty said.

Amy hesitated for a moment and then said, "Yes, Caleb would make a great godfather. I'm going to ask Lou to be the godmother."

"That'll be great," Ty agreed. "Lou will be around the baby all the time anyway."

The only thing left to do was find the baby something to wear for his big day. Amy didn't think they had a christening gown in their family like Peter had. She would have to ask Grandpa if he knew of one.

The next day Amy was down in the barn office checking on some paperwork when Jack walked in. He smiled. "Where's my new great-grandson?"

Amy pointed to the baby monitor sitting on her desk. "He's upstairs napping."

Jack smiled and nodded. "Should you be down here working just yet?"

Amy nodded. "It's okay, Grandpa. I'm feeling fine, and the doctor said it was okay for me to start slow and work back into a routine. Ty is okay with it, too, as long as I don't overdo it and get tired. I really am feeling fine, and it's nice to be able to think about work for a while—not that I don't enjoy the baby; it's just nice to think of something else for a change."

He nodded, understanding that it must have been difficult to be off work for as long as she had been. He knew how much she enjoyed her work with the horses.

"Grandpa, do you know if our family has a christening gown that the baby could wear for the naming ceremony?"

Jack smiled. "I don't know of one, but I have something in mind. Could Lisa and I come over after dinner tonight when Ty's home?"

Amy looked puzzled but said, "Sure, we would love to have you."

Later that evening after Ty had fed the baby and they were both sitting on the couch enjoying some time together, they heard Jack's voice asking if it was okay for him and Lisa to come up. Ty called, "Yes, come on up."

They walked into the loft and greeted Ty and Amy. "Where's the baby?" Lisa asked.

Ty smiled. "We just put him down after feeding him."

Lisa was disappointed as she was hoping to hold him for a while but understood his routine. Jack had a box in his hand, which he handed to Amy, and said, "I hope this will work for the baby to wear for the naming ceremony."

Amy smiled and said, "What is it?" and Jack told her to open it and see. She looked at Ty, and then lifted the lid of the box. She moved the tissue paper to reveal a beautiful gown made from pieces of her and her mom's wedding dresses. Her eyes filled with tears, and Ty hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Grandpa and Lisa, this is beautiful. Who made this?"

Jack smiled. "When you announced you were expecting, we contacted Mrs. Bell and asked if she could make the gown if we sent her the materials she needed. She was thrilled to be asked and had sent it several months ago."

When they pulled the gown out of the box, Ty noticed a small piece of blue material sewn into the lining of it. His face lit up as he recognized the material. It was from a stuffed bear he had slept with when he was little. Jack told him, "We contacted your mom and she sent it to us."

Both Amy and Ty were speechless at the thought that had gone into the making of their son's gown. They hugged Jack and Lisa and thanked them for the gift.

The next week went by quickly and before they knew it, the Saturday of the naming ceremony was here. It was a brisk October day, the sun shining brightly, and no snow had fallen yet. The ceremony was scheduled to start at 4:00 and then everyone would eat dinner afterwards. Amy was getting dressed as the baby slept, and Ty had gone into the clinic to pick up some supplies he needed for a remote call on Monday. Wade had called Ty to say they would not be able to attend, as Lily was not feeling well, and they didn't want to be around the baby with her illness. Ty hadn't planned on them being there anyway, so he wasn't too disappointed when Wade called. Amy and the baby were his family, and he thought of Jack as more of a father than his real dad or Wade.

He arrived back at Heartland around 3, so he hurried up to the loft to change and help Amy with feeding and dressing the baby before they walked over to the ranch house. Amy was hurrying around putting necessities in the diaper bag. The baby was just waking up and was fussing as he was hungry. Ty got a bottle out and started warming it up while Amy changed his diaper and put a clean onesie on him. Ty was ready except for a tie, so he sat down to feed the baby and Amy finished getting everything ready. The gown was lying on the bed ready to dress the baby in when he was done eating.

They were just starting to dress him when they both heard the familiar noise and smelled the unpleasant stench. Amy quickly grabbed the bottom of the gown and moved it out from under him so it would not get soiled, while Ty grabbed the wipes and a clean diaper. Needless to say the baby had made a mess, but luckily they had saved the gown from getting anything on it. They finished cleaning him up and put the gown on, holding their breath that he wouldn't make another mess before the ceremony.

It was 4:05 when they walked into the ranch. Everyone was dressed up and looking nice. Jack had on his blue suit as usual and took his place at the center of the fire place. Amy, Ty, and the baby were next to Jack and Lou and Caleb were next to them. Jack started his little speech about how the tradition came to be, and Tim as usual interrupted him and said, "We've all heard the story many times, so get on with it."

Then Jack asked the big question. "What name have you given to the baby?"

Amy smiled at Ty. As Lou placed the baby's hand on his stone, Ty said, "Tyler Jackson Fleming-Borden. We'll call him TJ for short."

Caleb got all choked up but managed to say a few words to Ty. "A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be." Everyone laughed.

Later everyone was commenting on his name, everyone but Tim. Amy watched her dad's face when Ty stated the baby's name and knew he was not pleased. She just hoped that he won't make a big scene about it. Ty had seen Tim's reaction as well, and as soon as the ceremony and pictures had been taken, he asked Tim to step outside for a moment.

Out on the porch, Ty said, "Look, I wanted to explain to you why we chose Jackson for the baby's middle name. I feel like Jack is more of a father to me than anyone. He and I have formed a bond over the years that's meant a lot to me. We did not intend to upset you, and I hoped you won't ruin the day with any smart remarks that would hurt your daughter's feelings.

Tim stood speechless for a few moments and then reached out to shake Ty's hand. "Amy did good when she picked you to be her husband. I know that you'll always be there for her, and you have proven again you'll protect her. I know she'll always be safe with you, Ty."

Tim walked back into the house and they all enjoyed a wonderful, peaceful dinner. It was getting late, and TJ was tired and hungry. Ty and Amy said their goodbyes and headed back over to the loft. They fed and changed TJ and he was asleep before they placed him in his bassinette.

Ty had taken his tie off and was standing next to the bassinette watching TJ sleep when Amy emerged from the bathroom. He was thinking about the day's events and didn't hear Amy until he felt her arms make their way around his waist. He turned in her arms and Amy leaned on his chest, just savoring the moment.

Ty lowered his lips to hers, as she moved her hands across his chest to unbutton his shirt. He smiled to himself and broke the kiss to look at his wife. "Amy, are you sure you want to start something you can't finish?" he asked.

Amy smiled up at him with a twinkle in her eye, "Ok, so maybe we can't do that tonight, but we can do this, right?" As she kissed him passionately.

Ty sigh, he loved this woman, his wife and the mother of his child more than life itself. She did things to him that she would never know, and he could never say no to. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently, saying.

"I love you, Amy."


End file.
